Magnetic recording media are well known in the art, and include tapes, disks, drums, and other forms of tablet or continuous loop configurations. These recording media generally comprise a magnetic coating material deposited upon a permanent substrate. The magnetic coating material in turn consists of ferromagnetic particles such as iron oxide disposed in a binder, such as an epoxy resin. Often, the binder systems are complex, and the ferromagnetic materials may include other ferromagnetic materials in addition to iron oxide.
These coating compositions are disposed upon the permanent substrate by a number of means, such as by dipping or spin coating or spraying, and are cured or otherwise hardened to form a permanent part of the structure.
These various magnetic recording media are of course utilized in conjunction with magnetic recording heads or transducers to produce the desired reading, read/write, or write properties. As technology improves, thinner and thinner coatings capable of higher density recording are being developed by the industry. This in turn requires that the recording heads be brought closer and closer to physical contact with the recording media. Very often, as in the case of magnetic disks, this results in "crashing" of the head into the surface of the disk. This causes wear upon the disk and head faces. The debris caused by such a crash often adheres to the head and affects its aerodynamic properties; and if the coating is physically displaced at point of contact, the information stored there will be permanently or partially destroyed.
Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a magnetic recording layer of high abrasion resistance.
Another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic recording layer having abrasion resistance and low electrical noise.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a magnetic recording layer that in conjunction with a particular magnetic recording head will act as a self-cleaning mechanism for the magnetic recording head.